Tunable Charge Detectors for Semiconductor Quantum Circuits

Nanostructures defined in high-mobility two-dimensional electron systems offer a unique way of controlling the microscopic details of the investigated device. Quantum point contacts play a key role in these investigations, since they are not only a research topic themselves, but turn out to serve as convenient and powerful detectors for their electrostatic environment. We investigate how the sensitivity of charge detectors can be further improved by reducing screening, increasing the capacitive coupling between charge and detector and by tuning the quantum point contacts' confinement potential into the shape of a localized state. We demonstrate the benefits of utilizing a localized state by performing fast and well-resolved charge detection of a large quantum dot in the quantum Hall regime

A randomized controlled pilot study of a brief web-based mindfulness training

Background: Mindfulness has been shown to be effective in treating various medical and mental problems. Especially its incorporation in cognitive-behavioural interventions has improved long-term outcomes of those treatments. It has also been shown, that brief mindfulness-based trainings are effective in reducing distress. There have been few web-based interventions incorporating mindfulness techniques in their manual and it remains unclear whether a brief web-based mindfulness intervention is feasible. Methods: Out of 50 adults (different distress levels; exclusion criteria: < 18 years, indication of psychotic or suicidal ideation in screening) who were recruited via e-mail and screened online, 49 were randomized into an immediate 2-weeks-treatment group (N = 28) or a waitlist-control group (N = 21), starting with a 2-week delay. Distress (BSI), perceived stress (PSQ), mindfulness (FMI), as well as mood and emotion regulation (PANAS/SEK-27) were measured at pre-, post- and 3-month follow-up (3MFU). Intention-to-treat analyses using MI for missing data and per-protocol analyses (≥ 50% attendance) were performed. Results: 26 participants of the treatment group completed post-measures. Most measures under ITT-analysis revealed no significant improvement for the treatment group, but trends with medium effect sizes for PSQ (d = 0.46) and PANASneg (d = 0.50) and a small, non-significant effect for FMI (d = 0.29). Per-protocol analyses for persons who participated over 50% of the time revealed significant treatment effects for PSQ (d = 0.72) and PANASneg (d = 0.77). Comparing higher distressed participants with lower distressed participants, highly distressed participants seemed to profit more of the training in terms of distress reduction (GSI, d = 0.85). Real change (RCI) occurred for PSQ in the treatment condition (OR = 9). Results also suggest that participants continued to benefit from the training at 3MFU. Conclusion: This study of a brief web-based mindfulness training indicates that mindfulness can be taught online and may improve distress, perceived stress and negative affect for regular users. Although there were no significant improvements, but trends, for most measures under ITT, feasibility of such a program was demonstrated and also that persons continued to use techniques of the training in daily life

ZEN-definisjonen – En veileder for ZEN-pilotområder. Versjon 3.0. norsk

Denne tredje utgaven av ZEN-definisjonsveilederen bygger på versjon 1.0 og 2.0 av ZEN-definisjonsveilederne og ZEN-definisjonsrapporter. Denne rapporten presenterer ZEN KPI-verktøyet i mer detalj og gir mer informasjon om ZEN KPI-referanse-, grense-, og målverdier. En stor endring inkluderer å løfte prosess-nøkkelindikatorer ut av stedskvaliteterkategorien og å tilpasse dem til en prosessveileder for design og planlegging av ZEN-områder. Detaljer har blitt supplert for hver nøkkelindikator for å forklare i hvilken grad de bidrar til målsetningen av ZEN samt gir eksempler på beste praksis. Noen nye nøkkelindikatorer har blitt lagt til. Navnet på kategorien stedskvaliteter har blitt endret til byform og arealbruk.This third version of the ZEN definition guideline report builds upon version 1.0 and 2.0 of the ZEN definition guideline reports and series of ZEN definition reports. This report gives further details on the ZEN KPI tool and on ZEN KPI reference, limit, and target values. A major change involves lifting the process KPIs out of spatial qualities and incorporating them into a process guideline for designing ZENs. Details have been added to each KPI to explain to what degree it contributes to the main goal of ZEN, and examples of best practice are given. Additional power KPIs have been added. The spatial qualities category has been renamed to urban form and land use.publishedVersio

EMSL Science Theme Advisory Panel Workshop - Atmospheric Aerosol Chemistry, Climate Change, and Air Quality

This report contains the workshop scope and recommendations from the workshop attendees in identifying scientific gaps in new particle formation, growth and properties of particles and reactions in and on particles as well as the laboratory-focused capabilities, field-deployable capabilities and modeling/theory tools along with linking of models to fundamental data

Influenza A virus replicates productively in primary human kidney cells and induces factors and mechanisms related to regulated cell death and renal pathology observed in virus-infected patients

IntroductionInfluenza A virus (IAV) infection can cause the often-lethal acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) of the lung. Concomitantly, acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently noticed during IAV infection, correlating with an increased mortality. The aim of this study was to elucidate the interaction of IAV with human kidney cells and, thereby, to assess the mechanisms underlying IAV-mediated AKI.MethodsTo investigate IAV effects on nephron cells we performed infectivity assays with human IAV, as well as with human isolates of either low or highly pathogenic avian IAV. Also, transcriptome and proteome analysis of IAV-infected primary human distal tubular kidney cells (DTC) was performed. Furthermore, the DTC transcriptome was compared to existing transcriptomic data from IAV-infected lung and trachea cells.ResultsWe demonstrate productive replication of all tested IAV strains on primary and immortalized nephron cells. Comparison of our transcriptome and proteome analysis of H1N1-type IAV-infected human primary distal tubular cells (DTC) with existing data from H1N1-type IAV-infected lung and primary trachea cells revealed enrichment of specific factors responsible for regulated cell death in primary DTC, which could be targeted by specific inhibitors.DiscussionIAV not only infects, but also productively replicates on different human nephron cells. Importantly, multi-omics analysis revealed regulated cell death as potential contributing factor for the clinically observed kidney pathology in influenza

Present Status of Inclusive Rare B Decays

We give a status report on inclusive rare B decays, highlighting recent developments and open problems. We focus on the decay modes $B \to X_{s,d} \gamma$, $B \to X_s \ell^+\ell^-$ and $B \to X_s \nu \bar \nu$ and on their role in the search for new physics. Most of the inclusive rare B decays are important modes of flavour physics due to the small hadronic uncertainties. They can be regarded as laboratories to search for new physics. We collect the experimental data already available from CLEO and the $B$ factories BABAR and BELLE. We review the NLL and NNLL QCD calculations of the inclusive decay rates that were recently completed, and discuss future prospects, especially the issue of the charm mass scheme ambiguity. Finally, we analyse the phenomenological impact of these decay modes, in particular on the CKM phenomenology and on the indirect search for supersymmetry. We also briefly discuss direct CP violation in inclusive rare B decays, as well as the rare kaon decays $K^+\to \pi^+\nu\bar{\nu}$ and $K_L \to \pi^0 \nu \bar{\nu}$, which offer complementary theoretically clean information.Comment: 80 pages, 37 figures, latex, references added Invited contribution to Reviews of Modern Physic